Equipment boost for disabled athletes

Good support: Dr Tiun (right) and Kho examining some of the sports equipment donated by PSC.

THE Penang Sports Council (PSC) has donated RM7,000 worth of sports equipment to the State Disabled Persons Recreational and Sports Association (Pesron) to be used by its members.

PSC manager Kho Chin Hong handed over the equipment to the association’s president Dr Tiun Ling Ta during a press conference at the council’s Batu Uban office.

Kho hoped the donation would attract more people, especially teenagers with physical disabilities, to venture into the exciting world of sports.

He also said PSC and the association have been working together for the past two years and the cooperation has successfully produced a few athletes, who have represented the state in the paralympics and the Asean Para Games.

Kho said during the recent Asean Para Games, which was held in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, from Jan 15 to Jan 19, the association sent six athletes to take part in swimming, power lifting, ping pong, shot put and archery, and they returned home with a gold, two silver and six bronze medals.

“Last August, we even managed
to send an athlete to Scotland to compete in a Lawn Bowl event,” he said.

Kho added that the prospects and incentives for athletes, including those involved in paralympic sports were high.

“The thing about the paralympics is that, there is no age limit. We even have athletes well into their 50s, who are participating,”
he told a press conference on Tuesday.

Dr Tiun said the association had 150 members, but not all of them were involved in competitive sports.

“For now, we want to bring new people in, allow them to socialise and see if they have the potential to become an athlete.